Power transmission mechanism



P. 6. DAY

7 March 3, 1942;

POWEKTRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed Jan. 28, 1938 IIII I INVENTOR. PZ-PC'VC 04y ATTOIIQNEY.

Patented Mar. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES I POWER TRANSMISSION LIECHANISMPercy 0. Day, Brookfleld, Wis., assignor to The Fall: Corporation,Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 28',1938, Serial No. 187,360

1 Claim.

This invention relates to power transmission mechanisms of the typeinvolving, the use of hydrauli c couplings.

The ability of a hydraulic coupling to transmit power withouttransmitting torsional vibra- 5 appropriate bearing [8 in the supportinghousing tions or torque fluctuations, and the facility afforded therebyfor quick clutching and declutching are characteristics which render theuse of such a coupling highly desirable-in Diesel driven However theaxial thrusts l0 geared power systems. ordinarily developed by suchcouplings present problems which have not been completely solved,particularly when applied to heavy duty power transmission systemsinvolving speed reduction gearing.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved-means forsustaining the axial thrusts developed by hydraulic couplings.

Another object is to provide improved means for conducting motivatingfluid to or from the 2 interior of the coupling.

Another object is to incorporate a hydraulic coupling and speedreduction gear set in a single rigid supporting structure and in suchmanner as to sustain the coupling thrusts independently of the support.

. Another object is to structurally combine av hydraulic coupling andgear into a self-contained operating unit in which the coupling thrustsare self sustained.

anism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a fragmentaryhorizontal sectional view of, a

pcwer transmitting mechanism' embodying the present invention.

The power transmitting mechanism selected for illustration constitutesa. part of a marine propulsion system and includes a main gear, partially shown at Ill, which is ordinarily directly (01. -54) pendentiy ofthe frame or housing in which both are rigidly mounted'and enclosed.

In the hydraulic coupling shown, the bladed impeller 15 thereof is fixedto an integral collar IS on a shaft ll journalled at one end in an andengaged with the flexible coupling l3. The shaft l1 extends through thehydraulic coupling and-pinion I I and is supported at its other end by acollar I9 securely anchored thereto and journalled in an appropriatebearing 20 in the supporting housing.v The bladed runner 2| is securedto and supported by a quill shaft 22, encircling and spaced from theshaft I1 and carrying the pinion I I. 'The quill shaft 22 is supportedat one end in a rigid bearing 23 disposed between the runner 2| and oneend of the pinion ll-andat the other end in a.rigid bearing '24'disposedladjacent the other end of the pinion. I

It is of course understood that in hydraulic couplings of'this type thecontained fluid reacts on the impeller l5 and runner 2i to set up axialthrusts tending to separate them. In this instance an appropriate thrustbearing is provided through which the axial thrust transmitted to theshaft l1 from the impeller I5 is counteracted by the opposite axialthrust transmitted to the quill shaft'22 from the runner 2|. The thrustbearing shown comprises a thrust collar or flange 25 formed onthe end ofthe quill shaft 22 and coacting with a corresponding thrust collar orflange 26 on the collar l9 fixed to theshaft l1.

It will be noted that by the arrangement above described the axialthrusts normally developed by the hydraulic coupling are adequatelysustained quite independently of the housing, so

, that the pinion II and coupling l2, together with their supportingshafts, may be mounted for free axial movement within the housing, as inthe mechanism shown. This isof particular ad- 'vantage'when, as in thisinstance, the pinion H and meshing gear Ill are of the double helical orherringbone type, since the pinion is thus coupled to a propeller shaft(not shown) and 45 free to'adjust itself to the gear in driven by one ormore pinions II in mesh therewith. The pinion shown is driven from anapboth and gear In the mechanism shown, the hollow shaft 22,

. ner to equalize the load on the two helices of- I novel manner so asto form an operating unit in which the axial thrusts, characteristic ofwhose inner end is open to the interior of the coupling I 2, is alsoadvantageously utilized as a means for conducting motivating fluid toandfrom the coupling. For this purpose. one or more passages 21, throughthe collar '19, afford communication between the shaft 22 and a chamber28 formed between the collar l9 and a bearing couplings of this type,are self sustained, indecover plate 29 attached to the housing. The

plate 29 carries an appropriate pipe or elbow 30 through which fluid maybe introduced into the chamber 28 and shaft 22 from an appropriatesource.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the inventionhereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificingthe advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a power transmission the combination of two bladed rotors coacting toform a hydraulic coupling, a hollow shaft carrying one -oi said rotorsand providing a conduit for supplying fluid to said coupling,- a secondshaft carrying the other of said rotors and extending axially of and

